Imman Hossein- 6th-8th Dec

We watch self flagulation Imman Hossein ceremony processions as we drive along the coat of the Caspian sea. Arrive at the pretty mountain village of Masuleh and get taken in for tea 15 mins after we arrive! Try mountain route but turn back due to snow. Delay means we take camp near our destination in mountians- owner of field finds us and invites us to mosque ceremony and the family home- we get double dinner!

Sights and slopes 3rd and 4th Dec

(Draft)

We saw the Golestan Palace one day which was absolutely stunning with mirror tiles of many shapes and sizes covering the walls and ceiling of many rooms to dazerling effect and we saw some of the best archeological finds from Persepolis, now housed in the National museum. Our host helped find a reliable garage to got the oil and air filters in the car changed which made

Alex very happy and we even managed a day on the slopes to the north. Overall an extremely enjoyable chapter of our trip and really nice to touch base in a very welcoming and friendly home full of English speakers half way through our trip- a real restbite from looking for places to sleep every night and very peacemeal comunication (on our part), in various different languages! I'm sure I've put

on pounds in Iran as every home and resturant we have eaten at has produced really excellent food in enormous quantities that has been very hard not to eat too much of! Have a strict swimming regime planned for myself when we get back home...

Tehran 30th Nov- 2th Dec

(Draft)

What can one say about a city that is 80km north to south and has about twice the population of Greater London? Well, it's big and the road network is predictably complicated and with over 30 million cars, it's busy. A perfect day for Google Earth on ALex's computer, with a map of how to get to our friend's flat, to break down. With our GPS only showing main roads (apparently only two in Tehran) and only a large scale road map for the whole country we were stuck just telephoniing for directions and then relying on ALex asking a long series of very friendly and helpful people for directions every couple of junctions! From hitting the city limits it took us about 3 hours to negociate our way to the appartment, including getting them to guide us by car the last 15 mins or so!

We got there in the end through,(barely fitting into the car port!) and were VERY warmly welcomed and after a chance to shower joined in a large family dinner party with three generations and fantastic food. This set the tone for our fabulous stay in Tehran- amazing food at every breakfast, lunch and dinner, sight seeing, local shopping at the bazzar and large and frequent gatherings of both families and friends at daily intervals. One day a minibus was hired and we went on a full day tour with a mixture of friends and family of our hosts to local, often closed, attractions that they had arranged special permission to go to. It was a very different experience to sightseeing by ourselves and very interesting to gain something of the urban Irani perspective, so different

from that of our less cosmopolitan frends we have made. One of the sights was the shrine of an Imman's wife and I was greatly amused at the completely non religious attitude of the cosmopolitan ladies we were with- refusing the provided chadors and taking lots of photos, even of the more religious people visitors who obviously found the pilgramidge a much more emotional experience. The ladies regrded them as much of a novelty as we did. It was a great day with the sights not as dramatic as those we have seen else where but travelling as part of a group, especially with Iranians, was an excellent and very special experience with picnics and singing and dancing on the bus as we cruised down the roads.

Kashan 30th Nov

Having lingered so long is Esfahan we lost the opportunity to go to some dunes by a salt lake south of Tehran or linger over much in Kashan. I did insist however that I got two hours in the latter to look around a Traditional House on our way up to Tehran. It was such an enriching experience I had to enclose it here by it's self to make sure there was enough space for pictures. I went for the one the guide book was most impressed by. It was extensive and easy to get lost in as it had at least five courtyards and interconnected passageways, rooms, terraces and subterranean areas between them as well as roof tops made for

walking on. I was the only tourist in until a small group of four Iranian guys turned up too. They are still in the long, long process of completely renovating the site so it is full of builders and scaffolding in many areas. This, and the fact that it was so quite meant that I could purposefully and unobtrusively go anywhere I wanted, including a lot of rooms and passageways that probably weren't strictly open to the public but weren't barred so that the builders could have access. Through trying any doors that weren't locked and walking anywhere

that looked safe I was delighted to find myself right up on the highest roof about three floors up. I walked about innocently and slowly, not meeting the eyes of the occasional surprised looking builder in case I wasn't meant to be there. It turned out I wasn't- the ticket man spotted me and raced up to guide me down all panicked. I apologised and he was very nice about it, even showing me, in person this time, one of the restricted access courtyards still very much under construction.

Other than the roof, one of the most unusual and fascinating parts of this house was an extensive bath house. The original residents even opened it to the public once a week. There was room after room after room- all fairly small, (3-6m diameter), often round with seats and plumbing and all decorated with gorgeous plaster and tile work. It was slightly claustrophobic, despite the light holes, (I think I've been more prone to this since the underground city in Turkey) so I don't think I would have fancied it being full of steam and lots of people but it was fantastic to see. I left the house to tie up again with ALex fully refreshed in mind and soul.

Return to Shahin Shahr 28th-30th

We return , as promised to previously met friends in Esfahna. Lovely dinner with two other family members. They insis we stay two nights- I'm not keen, my throat feels like some has been sand papering the flesh but their insistence is too strong to say no! Alex's folk's text to say the British Ambassador has been kicked out, we watch the news closely and ALex reads far and wide at an internet cafe the next day. We return to the house more reassured. Lots of waiting for Mustaba to come home and unsureness about what is expected of us. Alex gets taken to car wash and to mend puncture in afternoon, I, (gladly), get to sleep with mum and sick baby whom I think I caught my sickness off from the first visit. We get shown the Mall in the evening, and serenade them in their home, (although they only ask for one song!). ALex's parents update us on 'students' storming British Embassy and we nxiously call Sara in TEhran to ask if we should be heading for the boarder. SHe tells us all is well- here father passed Embassy just before 'attack' and news has blown spectacle out of proportion. Late night- I'm really needing an earlier one and throat is so sore. Strange atmosphere when we leave the next day, unsure if they're sad to say goodbye, if extended trip was a disappointment or if they're just not good in the mornings! Will send thank-you card and gift later anyway.

A mud brick city 26th- 28th Nov

First hotel in Yazd was full, next one was fantastic if too perfectly designed for backpackers, (traditional lay out, nomad themed decor, wifi and filled with Europians!) and surprisingly affordable. DELICIOUS dinner too. Explored Yazd next day then on into desert to camp- ALex bravely cooks outside amidst not too distant howling and hyena style noises. ON through desert next day but then farms begin to look like things we shouldn't see so hare back all the way we came, passing government car, and on to our friends north of Estafan.

Into the desert 26th Nov

Took the lesser travelled desert route to Yazd but got frustrated with confusion of unmarked desert tracks and warey of going too far from where we should after over landers tales. Pressed on to Yazd rather than camping in the desert as I still felt ill and fancied a shower and a bit of luxury.